Machine for winding rolls



p 1954 N. DUDCHIK 2,689,690

MACHINE FOR WINDING ROLLS Filed Jan. 17, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 II'YFE T2 ZET A Mafia/a3 Daze/012411:

&

Patented Sept. 21, 1954 MACHINE FOR WINDING ROLLS Nicholas Dudchik, Lebanon, Ind., 'assignor to Hanan-Crane Corporation, Lebanon, Ind.. a corporation of Indiana Application January 17, 1952, Serial No. 266,901

10 Claims. 1

This invention relates to improvements in a machine for winding rolls, and more particularly to a machine designed to roll up sheet material or the equivalent into a roll of predetermined size, although the invention may have other uses and purposes as will be apparent to one skilled in the art.

By way of specific example, but not by way of limitation, the machine is highly desirable for rolling up filter cartridge units for filtering various kinds of liquids, such cartridge units being made of sheet-like layers of material, and it makes no difference whether several different kinds of material are used in the same cartridge or not. The material may be spread out in sheetlike formation, overlapped to a predetermined degree, depending upon whether or not the successive layers are to be spirally wound or to ultimately provide substantially concentric layers, and the layout is then fed into the rolling mechanism, whereupon a rolled filter unit is provided of any desired diameter.

Heretofore, various means have been employed to roll up sheet material, and while many of them were highly satisfactory for rolling one individual sheet into a roll, they were obviously not satisfactory for making a single roll out of a plurality of separate sheets having their marginal portions overlapped to only a slight extent. Further, formerly known machines of this character were not as easily operated as desired, could not be started and stopped after extremely short intervals of operation if so desired, and were not as easily manipulated as desired, especially by a single operator.

With the foregoing in mind, it is an important object of the instant invention to provide a rolling machine utilizing a flexible belt having a reentrant or reversely disposed rolling loop therein with means to maintain the formation of the loop during movement of the belt, so that even very soft material may be rolled by the movement of the belt inside that loop.

Also an object of this invention is the provision of a rolling machine having a flexible belt with a reentrant rolling loop therein, with means associated with the belt to straighten out the loop after the rolling operation is completed, and automatically discharge the finished roll of material.

Still another object of the instant invention resides in the provision of a rolling machine embodying a flexible belt having a reentrant loop in which the rolling of sheet material occurs, the arrangement being such that a resiliently urged member maintains the formation of the loop during the rolling operation, so that yielding expansion is provided for the loop as the roll being formed increases in diameter.

Still another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a rolling machine embodying a flexible belt having a reentrant rolling loop, with the ends of the belt adjustably secured to a drum or the like, so that the length of the belt may be varied as desired in order to provide finished rolls of various diameters.

It is also an object of the instant invention to provide a simplified form of rolling machine for providing a roll of predetermined size from sheet material, the machine being economical in construction and use, and readily operable by a single workman.

While some of the more salient features, characteristics and advantages of the instant invention have been above pointed out, others will become apparent from the following disclosures, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevational view of a rolling machine embodying principles of the instant invention; and

Figure 2 is a part vertical sectional part side elevational view of the machine, fragmentary in character, and taken substantially as indicated by the staggered section line 11-11 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

As shown on the drawings:

The illustrated embodiment of the instant invention includes a skeleton type fabricated frame, generally indicated by numeral I, and which preferably comprises various vertical and cross channel members welded or equivalently secured together. In the lower portion of the structure, is a pair of opposed bearing members 2-2 secured to opposed uprights of the frame for the purpose of journaling a transverse shaft 3 carrying a relatively large hollow drum 4. As seen clearly in Fig. 1, the drum is provided with opposed inwardly recessed heads 5-5. The entire drum may satisfactorily be made of suitable sheet metal.

Outside the drum a pulley 6 is connected to the shaft 3 (Fig. 1) which may be rotated by a belt l from a s eed reducer 8, in turn driven through a suitable belt and pulley arrangement 9 from a source of power such as an electric motor Ill.

t will be understood that the motor i9 is a reversing motor so that it may readily be operated in either direction.

Around the drum is a flexible rolling belt I I of substantially the width of the drum. Each end of this belt is reversely turned as indicated at l2 around a suitable cross rod [3 and secured to itself, as plainly seen in Fig. 2. The belt is slotted in its reverse fold adjacent each side thereof to accommodate a tensioning member It which may be in the form of a flexible steel cable. The tension member 14 extends through suitable openings in the surface of the drum 4, and forms a loop around the floating pulley 55 secured to one end of a tension spring 16, anchored at its other end to an eye bolt l'i engaged through an anchor plate l8 fixedly secured to the adjacent head of the drum. The tension on the spring l6, and consequently the length of the belt H may be varied at will by actuating nut 19 on the end of the respective eye bolt Ii. As seen in Fig. 2, the same construction is provided for each end of the belt, and as seen in Fig. 1, the same arrangement for each end of the belt is provided on both heads ii5 of the drum. It will be noted that this adjusting mechanism is located in the recess at the ends of the drum provided by the insetting of the heads 5-5. A suitable cable lock 26 is disposed against the drum to firmly hold the free end of each cable id. 7

Above the drum and at the forward end of the frame, two opposed vertical channel irons 2 l-2l are disposed. A suitable framework carriage 22 is ridable upwardly and downwardly toward and away from the drum in these vertical channels EI-Zl. Suspended from the lower part of the carriage 2?. by suitable hangers 2323 is the shaft 2 carrying a freely running roller 25. This roller 25 is preferably inherently heavy. As seen best in Fig. 2 each of the channels 2: is provided with an elongated slot 26 in itsupper portion through which a transversely extending pin or bolt 27 projects, such bolt being secured to the carriage 22. Outside the channel, a tension spring 28 is anchored at one end to a fixed portion of the frame and is secured at the other end to the respective projecting bolt 27. These springs 28-28 at all times exert a downward pull on the carriage, thus biasing the roller 25 toward the drum 2.

Attached to each end of the carriage 22 on its upper side is a cable is trained over a vertically disposed pulley 39 on the upper part of the frame 5, and trained over a horizontally disposed pulley 3! at the forward end of the frame, with the other end of the cable connected to one end of a cross F arm 32 carried by the piston 33 of a two-way pneumatic ram 34. When this hydraulic ram is energized to move the piston to the right as seen in Fig. 2, both cables 2929 are simultaneously moved to elevate the carriage 22, and consequently the roller 25, against the action of the springs 28--28.

Journaled between a pair of frame uprights to the rear of the carriage supporting channels 2 l2i is a shaft 35 carrying a smaller idler roll 38.

As seen clearly in Fig. 2, the rolling belt ii is trained around the drum t from one of its anchored ends, around the heavy roller 25, around the idler roll 36, and back to where it is anchored at the opposite end to the drum 4. Thus, when the roller 25 is lowered to operating position, a reentrant rolling loop 3'! is formed between the roller 25 and the drum in the flexible belt H. During a rolling operation, the weight of the roller 25, augmented by the resilient biasing of the springs 28-48, maintains the rolling loop 3? in proper shape for the rolling operation.

In front the rolling mechanism so far described, is a horizontally disposed table 38 on which sheet material 39 may be placed and fed directly into the reentrant rolling loop 31, as seen clearly in Fig. 2, wherein a roll 40 may be made.

In operation, it is a simple expedient to elevate the roller 25 by means of the pneumatic ram 34 a slight distance, insert the end of the sheet material, with a core if so desired, in th reentrant loop 31, lower the roller 25, start the motor I0 to drive the drum clockwise as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, and the travel of the belt around the roller 25 and the idler 36 during substantially a revolution of the drum will cause the sheet material 39 to move in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 and be rolled into a roll 40. As the roll 49 increases in diameter, the roller 25 may be elevated proportionately against the yielding action of the springs 2B28, and possibly against the yielding action of the Springs [6 on the ends of the rolling belt. After the roll 40 is completed, the carriage 22 and roller 25 may be elevated to the dotted line position seen in Fig. 2. Such elevation, of course, straighten out the reentrant rolling loop 3i, as also indicated by dotted lines, and automatically discharges the finished roll out upon the feed table as indicated at Mia. The roll may then be removed, new sheet material placed upon the table for forming a new roll, and while that operation is being completed, the motor to may be energized to operate the drum in the re verse direction to bring the rolling belt I I back to starting position.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that I have provided a simple form of mechanism highly desirable for rolling soft or flexible sheet material into a roll of substantially any desirable size, the mechanism being readily handled by one operator, and readily adjusted to accommodate finished rolls of different diameter. Further, the device is highly durable, both economical in construction and in operation and occupies little floor space.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effected without departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presen invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a rolling machine, a frame, a feed table confronting said frame, a rotary drum carried by said frame, a rolling belt having its ends secured at spaced points tosaid drum, a vertically movable carriage above said drum, a roller suspended from said carriage, an idler roll on said frame to the rear of said carriage, said belt being trained around said drum, over said suspended roller and thence over said idler roll back to said drum, and means for selectively raising and lowering said carriage.

2. In a rolling machine, a frame, a feed table confronting said frame, a rotary drum carried by said frame, a rolling belt having its ends secured at spaced points to said drum, a roller movable toward and away from said drum, said :ielt being trained around said drum from one point of securement over said roller and back to the other point of securement to said drum, said belt being of sufficient length to form a reversely disposed slack loop behindsaid roller in which material fed from said table is rolled, and means to rotate said drum.

3. In a rolling machine, a frame, a feed table confronting said frame, a rotary drum carried by said frame, a rolling belt having its ends secured at spaced points to said drum, a roller movable toward and away from said drum, said belt being trained around said drum from one point of securement over said roller and back to the other point of securement to said drum, said belt being of suflicient length to form a reversely disposed slack loop behind said roller in which material fed from said table is rolled, means to rotate said drum, and spring means biasing said roller toward said drum and yield able to permit said roller to rise as the roll of fed material increases in diameter.

4. In a rolling machine, a frame, a feed table confronting said frame, a rotary drum of large diameter carried by said frame with the upper part of its surface substantially in the plane of said table, a rolling belt having its ends secured at spaced points to said drum, a roller movable toward and away from said drum, said belt being trained around said drum from one point of securement over said roller and back to the other point of securement to said drum, said belt being of sufficient length to form a reversely disposed slack loop behind said roller in which material fed from said table is rolled above table level, means to rotate said drum, and said belt being of such length that when said drum is stopped and said roller moved away from the drum said loop will straighten and automatically discharge a finished roll of material onto said table.

5. In a rolling machine, a rotary drum, a free running roller movable toward and away from said drum, a rolling belt having its ends secured to said drum at spaced points, said belt being trained over said drum and over said roller, said belt when said roller is moved toward said drum forming a reentrant loop in which material may be rolled, and adjustable means connecting the ends of said belt to said drum to selectively vary the length of said belt for forming rolls of material of diiferent diameters.

6. In a rolling machine, a rotary drum, a free running roller movable toward and away from said drum, a rolling belt having its ends secured to said drum at spaced points, said belt being trained over said drum and over said roller, said belt when said roller is moved toward said drum forming a reentrant loop in which material may be rolled, and spring means biasing said roller toward said drum against which the roller is moved by the roll being formed as the roll gets larger.

7. In a rolling machine, a rotary drum, a free running roller movable toward and away from said drum, a rolling belt having its ends secured to said drum at spaced points, said belt being trained over said drum and over said roller, said belt when said roller is moved toward said drum 6 forming a reentrant loop in which material may be rolled, spring means urging said roller toward said drum, and spring means pulling on the ends of said rolling belt whereby said loop may expand during increase in size of the .roll being formed.

8. In a rolling machine, a rotary drum, a free running roller movable toward and away from said drum, a rolling belt having its ends secured to said drum at spaced points, said belt being trained over said drum and over said roller, said belt when said roller is moved toward said drum forming a reentrant loop in which material may be rolled, spring means urging said roller toward said drum, and spring means carried by said drum and exerting a pull on one end of said belt, both said spring means being yieldable to permit expansion of the slack loop during forming of the roll of material.

9. In a rolling machine, a rotary drum, a free running roller movable toward and away from said drum, a rolling belt having its ends secured to said drum at spaced points, said belt being trained over said drum and over said roller, said belt when said roller is moved toward said drum forming a reentrant loop in which material may be rolled, spring means urging said roller toward said drum, separate spring means for each end of said rolling belt carried on each end of said drum and connected to the respective belt end to exert a pull thereon as the loop expands during the forming of a roll of material, and adjustment means connected to the opposite ends of the last said spring means to selectively vary the tension of the same.

10. In a rolling machine, a rotary drum of relatively large diameter, a free running roller movable toward and away from said drum, a rolling belt having its ends secured to said drum at spaced points, said belt being trained around the major portion of said drum and over said roller and being of suincient length to form a reentrant loop when the roller is moved into proximity with the drum, said loop increasing in size as material is rolled therein and as more of the belt is fed to the loop off the drum, whereby a roll of material is formed during substantially a revolution of the drum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Fourness et al July 18, 1944 

